The Bucks put in an excellent second half performance to pick up a good 1-1 draw with table toppers South Shields.

Match highlights

Match report

South Shields made a strong start to the game as they dominated the ball and didn’t give the Bucks much of a sniff. And the Mariners should have perhaps taken the lead on 11 minutes, when dangerman Paul Blackett missed a big chance at the back post, turning wide from only a few yards out as he met a low ball across the box.

But the Bucks were resilient and ground their way back into the game, albeit without creating too many chances – Jordan Piggott’s long-range effort that was nearly spilled into his own net by keeper Tom Watson was the closest Kevin Wilkin’s men came in the first half. The Bucks were defending well though, and the Mariners didn’t really trouble Josh Gracey after the opening 15 minutes. With defences on top, the teams headed in goalless at half time.

It was a very different story after the break though, as the Bucks went through the gears and took control of the game. A couple of Charlie Williams’ crosses sought out Matty Stenson, but Telford’s dangerman couldn’t turn the ball home, before Remi Walker then had the ball in the net, but play had been halted well before for a foul in the build up. On 57 minutes, Charlie Williams was sent clean through on goal by Stenson, but just as the Telford winger looked to pull the trigger, the play was stopped with Williams incorrectly adjudged to have been offside. The Bucks had another great chance on 64 minutes, when Stenson met a cross from the left but could only direct his effort narrowly wide of Watson’s right-hand post.

Having had very few chances in the second half, South Shields should have grabbed the lead on 77 minutes. Cedwyn Scott was sent clean through on goal, but although he beat Gracey, he slipped his effort wide of the post.

But the Mariners did take the lead in the 84th minute, after referee Lee Hible awarded the visitors a questionable freekick as Blackett and Oliver Cawthorne collided. There was no doubting the quality of the delivery from Will Jenkins, though, as he sent in a superb ball that Scott headed home.

It was big blow for the Bucks who’d been the much better side in the second half. But Kevin Wilkin’s men didn’t let their heads drop, and found a late leveller in the 88th minute. This time is was South Shields complaining about a debatable freekick award, but Jordan Cranston’s set piece found Piggott who powered an unstoppable header into the bottom corner.

And so began a frenetic final few minutes in which either side might have won it. First, Gracey used every centimetre of his frame to claw away an effort before Lemar Gordon turned the rebound over the bar. At the other end, Ola Lawal span and fired an effort just over the bar before he was then inches away from turning home Cawthorne’s header from a corner moments later. Neither side could find a winner though, with the game ending 1-1.

The Bucks might feel that they could have nabbed a win on another day, but this was still a great point for the Bucks who more than matched the league leaders for long spells of the second half.

Match reaction